Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-06-01
THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER.
What it Did For an Insursacs aan-

" hAt ~ blu bis
Judge England while acting as adluS-
Ter for an Insurance Company went 10
settle a small loss on hOusehold goous
sustained by a policy-holder In hls COM
pany before he called on the man, he
learned that he and his family we're
members of the Methodist church ana
yerv upright sort of people, so the judge
looked forward to an easy settlement as
he doubted not they would BE willing TO
40 what was fair and he knew that ne
was himself ready to allow all that was
really due. 1t might also be mentioned
right here that the-Judge las not, Sc
far in life connected himself with any
church organization. ~
He called at the mans house anu
after some preliminary conversation
said:
well. NIr. Wilcox, We might as wen
make out a list Of the things burned OF
damaged. Just mention some OF them
and will note them down and L think
We can agree on this matter very
readily"
..WeH. there was a silk dress for one
thing" replied tie man.
"Ycs-how much was 1t worth"
s.Seyenty-ive dollars
''Ah, nm, Mr.. WilcoX,-eApehslVe
dress ,-.,-
at was" interposed Mrs. Wilcox,
..it WAS NV wedding dress and cost sl2J-
wouldn't have taken 500 for II"
"Er, YES. very likely, anything else:
There was a sewing machine worth
SEQ"
..Sixty dollars, eli? Now you see sew
ing machines have more fixed value
than silk dresses. l can get the best
sewing machine made for $50.
Not one like ours. 1t cost S15 and
was worth every cent Of $60-I couldn't
think of taking any less" said Mt
Wilcox. nj.
Pass it for now-giye me something
else .,oo
WORTH. -
i can get pretty good new one fol-
that amount"
Not Ike ours, mister" said one OF
Tie large girls, 1t cost $3.50.
Cant allow YOU 50 much, I'm |
afraid. What else:'
i lost a suit of clothes" said Mr..
Wilcox worth so. -
..Now look here, my friend, L don Z |
believe YOUR clothes cost that much,
returned the Judge beginning TO get /
warmed M. .,o
i tell YOU they did, they cost $50
and I'm not going TO let any insurance /
company beat me out of 1t either. on
lust do this thing fair or get out and L u
sue your company"
"That's right. Henry,' said his wife,
we're not going to let any travelling
insurance agent beat us out OF what
belongs to us
Tie children appeared 10 look at 1t III
the same way and the Judge didn't see
much encouragement, when a plan sud
denly struck linn:
s'Brother Wilcox" he said SOlemnly,
1--WE must ask for help in this matter" "
what said Brother Wilcox, look
ing at him.
q say we must make this business a
matter of prayer You and your eX-
cellent wife here belong to the Metho-
dist church, l belieye:'
YES, sir, do yOu:n
Il have been a member of that
Church for thirty years. Let us pray
and see if our way does not become {
more clear in this matter"
So they all knelt down and the Judge {
led in PRAYER. He could not remember '
having done such a thing since on GER
tain occasion when he tumbled down an
Old well while he was boy, but he G
s,,eedily got the hang OF it. lie struck
in on the heathen in foreign lands, made
a touching appeal for the sick and {
I ,eedy. remembered distant friends, ]
touched on the church and church eX-
tension in the west, and wound up with
an appeal for the little band who had
gathered together to adjust certain
Insurance loss. The Judge grew very
impressive and asked for strength for
himself and his good brother and his
deyOut sister and also their children,
that thev might adjust the loss even rs
it should be adjusted; that they might
all know the true price of silk dresses
and sewing machines and store clothes
He ended in a particularly touching
manner. his voice trembling, and when
they arose tears stood in the eyes of the
entire party. Wilcox grasped the
Judges hand, pressed it fervently and
said:
''Brother England, let us begin
again"
YES, let us begin again. Brother"
returned the Judge.
'.Now the dress first, Maria, was it
the calico or the gingham:" asked VIII
cox Of his wife.
"It-it-it was the calico, Henry
''One calico dress. Brother England
"WOrth about forty cents, Brother
WilcoXE'
Not more than that, was it, Maria?'
''Not more than thirty, Henry, | had
worn it all sumner
'Dress, thirty cents; 90 on, Brother
Wilcox"
1.-The sewing machine got the leaf
broken oT-We had it fixed for half a |
dollar
Sewing machine, fifty cents; so on,
Brother"
"The organ was Scorched on one end
what did the yarnish cost, Susie:r
Fifteen cents, pa"
"Organ, fifteen cents-proceed,
Brother
''Suit Of clo,hes-well, it's these that
/ have On-the coat-sleeye got wet"
at didn't damage it much, did it,
Brother Wilcox"
at did it good, Brother England"
said Mrs. Wilcox; ''there was mud on /,
the sleeve and the water washed ii !
oft improved the coat"
Il think that viii be satisfactory to
the company-anything elsep'
"NO-o-o, l guess rot, is there,
MaTia:''
Il can't think If anything more"
''All right, total, ninety-ive cents
III make you out 4 draft for that
amount, Brother" " and the Judge did !
so and went away with more faith in
the efficacy of prayer than he ever had
before. q
H. prrrur,,x- ID. ,,-,- D. I